Liquor Industry News
The Wonderful World Of Wine (WWW)
By: Mark C Lenzi
CSW, CSS, CWAS, FWS, IWS*, SWS, OWE, IWM*
07-27-2026
Liquor Industry News
New Products
What is ‘back sweetening’ and why does it matter?
Life Behind the Liquor Counter
Does Expensive Wine Actually Taste Better?
Top 10 most popular whisky distilleries in 2026
Cask Connoisseur has released its annual ranking of the UK and Ireland’s favourite whisky distilleries, but which producer came out on top?
Does Light Drinking Lower Cancer Risk?
Depends Who You Ask
https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/industry-news/new-alcohol-health-study-june-2026
Statement on Irresponsible and Biased Alcohol-Related Commentary
WHY EQUATING ALCOHOL TO TOBACCO OVERSIMPLIFIES AND DAMAGES PUBLIC HEALTH EFFORTS
Will Canada end up being punished for the US alcohol ban?
Legislation calling for an investigation into Canada’s limits on importing US alcohol has been proposed by congresswoman Claudia Tenney. db reports.
French vineyards battle extreme heat as climate pressures mount
French wine producers are facing another difficult growing season as record-breaking temperatures compound the effects of frost, hail and prolonged drought across key regions.
SipSource: vodka to outpace US spirits market
The vodka category is expected to outperform the core spirits market in the US over the next 12 months, according to a SipSource forecast
We Asked 12 Bartenders: What’s the Best Scotch Under $50?
Scotch doesn’t have to be expensive.
https://vinepair.com/articles/wa-bartenders-best-scotch-under-50-2026
Why These 6 Beers Were Named the Best in the Country at the 2026 Good Food Awards
Exceptional craftsmanship and a commitment to sustainability made these breweries and their beers stand out.
https://www.foodandwine.com/good-food-awards-beer-winners-2026-12012552
Barton 1792 Unveils Its First Rye Whiskey Alongside a 15-Year Cask-Strength Bourbon
The Kentucky distillery is expanding the 1792 lineup with two exciting bottles.
https://www.foodandwine.com/barton-1792-whiskey-releases-12012542
Can You Bring Your Own Bottle Of Wine Into Olive Garden?
While the casual dining chain is usually accommodating, you shouldn’t assume BYOB is guaranteed.
https://www.foodrepublic.com/2204959/bring-bottle-wine-olive-garden
Does Expensive Wine Actually Taste Better?
The Science
Kentucky Bourbon Trail gains new stops
Four new destinations have been added to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, taking the total tally to 74 experiences for whiskey fans.
Green agenda: what to know before converting to organic
Thinking of converting to organic? Amelie Maurice-Jones has asked producers across the globe what they wish they’d known before starting out
How Provence turned rosé into a lifestyle
The average export price is €5,90, significantly higher than competing Spanish or Italian rosés (and high by most standards)
Have we forgotten wine’s place at the table?
Gastronomy is classically defined as the art of eating well. For me, an essential part of eating well is drinking well.
French heatwave to cut Champagne yields by 10%
France’s prolonged summer heat and drought are shrinking grape development across major wine regions, with Champagne growers expecting yields to fall around 10% and harvests beginning weeks earlier than normal.
The Consumer Has Said What They Want. Is Wine Willing to Listen?
New research listened to social media, online conversations and found fun, not fuss wins out.
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/article/320311
Crealis Unveils A New Scientific Study On The Impact Of Crown Cap On Sparkling Wines During Aging
The research demonstrates the aging potential associated with liners’ different levels of permeability from CREALIS PE.DI’s range of crown capsules.
https://www.winebusiness.com/news/vendor/article/320386
The 20 Best Vodkas for 2026
What does it mean to be the best-selling spirits category in a world where people are supposedly drinking fewer spirits?
https://vinepair.com/buy-this-booze/best-vodkas-2026
Ignore the Second-Cheapest Wine on the Menu — Here’s Why You Should Drink the Cheapest Instead
Don’t be swayed by the lure of spendier options. The least-expensive wine can often surprisingly punch well above its weight class.
https://www.foodandwine.com/order-cheapest-bottle-wine-12014453
Demystifying the Packaging Dilemma
The Heavy Bottle Illusion
https://sandraetaylor.substack.com/p/demystifying-the-packaging-dilemma
Super-premium Tequila faces 5% drop by 2030
As super-premium Tequila volumes decline, the high-end part of the category is expected to soar by 2030, according to IWSR.
Uncle Nearest receiver claims lender ‘ignored red flags’
The receiver for Uncle Nearest has filed a counterclaim against Farm Credit Mid-America, arguing that the lender’s failures helped the alleged fraud remain under the radar for years.
The Best Beer Styles For Newbies, According To Experts
When the weekend hits and you’re in the mood for a beer, you may head to the store to grab your favorite six-pack.
https://www.tastingtable.com/2210578/best-beer-beginners
This Brilliant Wine Bottle Trick Keeps Your Plants Watered for Weeks
Before recycling your wine bottles, consider using them to water your plants.
https://www.marthastewart.com/wine-bottles-to-water-plants-12012933
WE TESTED EVERY MANUAL WINE OPENER SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO
The manual wine opener category is wider than most buyers realize.
https://truewinelover.com/blogs/news/title-we-tested-every-manual-wine-opener-so-you-dont-have-to
7 Grape Varieties to Try if You Love Cabernet Sauvignon
Big, bold, and full of personality, Cabernet Sauvignon rules the world of red wine.
https://vinepair.com/articles/cabernet-sauvignon-alternative-grapes-to-try
Six Summer Beers You Should Be Buying In 2026
In case you need any inspo to get all that chillaxing started, here are six beers that are perfect for summer 2026.
Franzia Without America: How Tariffs Reinvented an Iconic Brand in China
Franzia is one of America’s best-known wine brands. But in China, it is no longer selling American wine.
How to Label “Estate Bottled” (and When You Legally Cannot)
One of the most coveted terms on a wine label — and one of the most strictly defined. You qualify on every count, or you cannot use it.
https://www.colaclear.com/blog/how-to-label-estate-bottled
America’s Regional Whiskey Styles, Mapped
In American whiskey, bourbon reigns supreme, a position supported by measures both quantitative (sales) and qualitative (fame). But it’s far from the country’s only whiskey style. The U.S. boasts a range of other categories, including some that predate bourbon itself.
https://vinepair.com/articles/america-regional-whiskey-styles-map
10 Lesser-Known Brands You Should Try if You Love Scotch
Scotch is a simple beverage at its core.
https://vinepair.com/articles/less-popular-scotch-brands-to-try
Weavers sacked from Uncle Nearest amid federal investigation
Uncle Nearest’s co-founders, Fawn and Keith Weaver, have been dismissed from the company, as its receiver disclosed he is cooperating with ongoing federal investigations.
Life Behind the Liquor Counter
The rules say check IDs, refuse the drunk, protect the vulnerable. The incentives say do the opposite. Somebody has to live in that gap.
https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-paradox-behind-the-liquor-counter
The Human Element
Decoding Social Responsibility in the Vineyard
https://sandraetaylor.substack.com/p/the-human-element
Roman women managed wine and olive oil production on ancient farms, study finds
For years, historians described the Roman vilica, or female farm manager, as a housekeeper whose work focused on meals, cleaning, and supervising servants inside the home. A new study argues this view misses one of the most important jobs on a Roman estate. Evidence shows many vilicae managed large farming operations, especially the production of wine and olive oil, two of the estate’s main sources of income.
Freeze, drought make 2026 a difficult year for Virginia vineyards
Despite some recent rain, Virginia remains in a drought—the latest insult for vineyards where grape crops were crushed by an early freeze followed by extreme temperatures. WMRA’s Christine Kueter reports.
https://www.wmra.org/2026-07-14/freeze-drought-make-2026-a-difficult-year-for-virginia-vineyards
What is ‘back sweetening’ and why does it matter?
Wines by the glass in the US are becoming sweeter as a global trend for ‘friendlier’ table wines begins to take hold. And European regions including Bordeaux and the Rhône are considering adapting legislation to follow suit, reports Roger Morris.
The Celebrity Spirits Boom Is Over. Long Live Dead Celebrities
The celebrity spirits boom has almost certainly come to an end.
https://vinepair.com/articles/celebrity-spirits-brands-boom-again-with-dead-celebrities
Trinchero Releases ‘Sauvy B,’ a Wine Spritzer With Added Electrolytes
At a time when the wine industry attempts to court younger consumers and better-for-you trends swarm the market, Trinchero Family Wine and Spirits is releasing Sauvy B, a ready-to-drink (RTD), citrus-flavored wine spritz containing electrolytes, the alcohol conglomerate announced today. Famed winemaker Joel Gott partnered with Trinchero, the third largest wine supplier in the U.S., to produce Sauvy B
https://vinepair.com/booze-news/trinchero-releases-sauvy-b-wine-rtd-with-electrolytes
WhistlePig joins Kentucky Distillers’ Association
Non-profit trade group the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) has welcomed WhistlePig Whiskey as its newest member.
What the Wine World Teaches Us About Taste (and Smell)
Before anything makes it to our mouths, all drinking and dining experiences start with our eyes. In the case of wine, tasters consider the color and opacity of the liquid before them, and swirl it around to assess its legs, or the streaks the liquid leaves on the side of the glass. Then, they raise it to their noses and inhale deeply for the bouquet, parsing which scents they glean. Finally, it’s time to take a sip.
The Complete Ultimate List of Craft Tequila Brands
The additive-free tequila conversation needs to expand. Here is what craft actually means, and who qualifies.
https://www.tequilareport.com/p/the-complete-ultimate-list-of-craft-tequila-brands
New Bourbon
- Bardstown, Kentucky’s Heaven Hill Distilleryhas announced Bottled-in-Bond Double Mash, a new whiskey marrying a traditional Bourbon and a wheated Bourbon. The 50% abv bottling is a blend of two 9-year-old whiskies made during the same distillation season by the company. Two-thirds of the final blend is a Bourbon distilled from a mash of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley, with the final third a wheated Bourbon made from a 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley mashbill. Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Double Mash ($50) will be available in limited quantities across the U.S. beginning in August.
Inside a Kentucky Rickhouse
A Whiskey Distiller Explains How Barrel Placement Impacts Bourbon
https://vinepair.com/articles/ask-a-distiller-does-rickhouse-placement-matter-for-whiskey
What the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Roundup Means for Wine (and the World)
In a 7-2 opinion, Supreme Court Justices sided with Monsanto, agreeing to shield the agricultural giant from future liability against those claiming its weed killer, RoundUp, caused adverse health effects.
https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/industry-news/glyphosate
Stop trying to make non-alcoholic wine happen. It’s not going to happen
Drinks that are never going to break through plus England’s greatest vineyard, Breaky Bottom, is on the market
https://henryjeffreys.substack.com/p/stop-trying-to-make-non-alcoholic
Laser technology could combat deadly fake alcohol
Adelaide University is developing laser-based technology that could detect counterfeit alcohol and identify dangerous chemicals, like methanol, inside unopened spirits bottles.
Fireball creates hightops with whiskey pouch
Sazerac-owned Fireball Cinnamon Whisky has released a pair of limited edition sneakers with a custom-built compartment designed to hold a Stash Flask.
US restaurants pushing wine markups to six times cost
Restaurant wine pricing in the US has become “a particular pain point” for the category, with some venues now taking six-times markups on bottles, according to Gino Colangelo, founder and president of Colangelo & Partners, the New York-based wine PR agency.
Why the world is about to see more Canadian cider
Canadian non-profit association for cider makers Cider Canada has received federal support to expand into international markets. db looks into what this could mean for the category’s prosperity.
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